Advertisementsin Circulation Today: Using millennials and social mediaLaurenLukaszewiczUniversityof Maryland University College AbstractThis essay shows howadvertising has shifted from companies creating their own advertisements, to focusingon millennials and their use of social media.
In todays society Social Media isa very large influence to how millennials think. On a sociological level,companies use the different roles of genders and relationship interactions tomake people feel the need to conform. They base their advertisements andproducts off of what they believe to be popular in todays society. This essayfocuses more on the Social Media aspect of advertising instead of the basictelevision and magazine advertisements. It concludes that companies pay specialattention to Facebook, YouTube, Snapchat, and Instagram users to indirectlypressure them to conform to whatever their race, gender, cultural beliefs orreligion says that they should be doing.Key Words: Millennials,Social Media, conform, pressure In today’s society Social Media interaction is key. Per dictionary.
com the definition of SocialMedia is “websites and applications that enable users to create and sharecontent or to participate in social networking.” Today the users are mostlymillennials and the content shared is not just personal information. However,the personal information that is shared is utilized to aim specificadvertisements at the millennial consumers. Based on statistics on Blue Corona,2017, “Facebook continues to be the most widely used social media platform,with 79% of American internet users.” Blue Corona also states that “the average userspends two hours on social media sites a day (Blue Corona, 2017).” This essay will explore the way thatSocial Media it used to promote a various array of products that are being soldtoday.Advertisements Reviewed When reviewing the requirements for this essay, the focuspoints used were basic Social Media applications.
They were utilized to providea broad example of what millennials are exposed to everyday. The user in thisstudy randomly logged on to the following applications: Facebook, Snapchat,Instagram, YouTube, and watched one cycle of commercials during a regulartelevision show screening. The time devoted to this review after logging on toeach application ranged from ten minutes to thirty minutes depending on whatwas searched and/or reviewed. The table below provides what advertisements werefound and a brief summary of who they were aimed at. Table1: Ten advertisements found on various Social Media Applications Product Name Location Time Devoted Analysis (Brief) Terms/Theories that Apply 1. Nationwide Insurance Television 00:30 Within this commercial it has a country singer Brad Paisley singing about major life events aimed at men of all ages. Status Role Habitualization Self- fulfilling prophecy 2.
Chik-Fil-A Instagram 00:15 Within this commercial it has a mother taking her child to school and eating a Chik-fil-a sandwich. Independent single mom. Status Role Habitualization Self- fulfilling prophecy 3. Sims 4 Instagram 00:15 Within this commercial it shows a woman who is asking a man on a date (a sims) and is playing catchy music in the back. Status Role Habitualization Self- fulfilling prophecy 4. Grammarly YouTube AD 01:00 This advertisement is placed on a YouTube video of a popular channel. It is aimed towards people who are not technology savvy. Status Role Habitualization Self- fulfilling prophecy 5.
CupShe YouTube 08:52 This is a YouTube advertisement made by TABS24X7Official. This was made because of a sponsorship deal so that they can get their product out cheaply and quickly to today’s millennials. Status Role Habitualization Self- fulfilling prophecy 6. KIA Television 01:00 Melissa McCarthy is an eco-warrior saving a various number of animals, traveling in a KIA. An Eco-Friendly Kia. Status Role Habitualization Self- fulfilling prophecy 7. Miss Dior Television 00:45 Natalie Portman stars as a struggling lover who wants her S/O to prove his love. It shows numerous scenes representing this.
It ends with “What would you do for love?” Status Role Habitualization Self- fulfilling prophecy 8. Clash of Clans Royale Gaming AD 00:54 In this advertisement there is a lot of comedy relief. It makes the game look more hands on and interesting than it really is.
Status Role Habitualization Self- fulfilling prophecy 9. KIA Youtube 03:57 In this advertisement there are three singers filming a music video and traveling to the beach. However, they are doing so in a KIA with all of the features of the vehicle popping up. Status Role Habitualization Self- fulfilling prophecy 10. Hyundai Television Mentioned Hyundai Placement in the show The Walking Dead. Within a post-apocalyptic world brand new Hyundai vehicle are being driven.
Status Role Habitualization Self- fulfilling prophecy In the above chart is listed the products beingadvertised on Social Media and popular television shows today. The main terms used to describe all of theproducts are generic across the board. They all use basic Sociological Termsthat are focused at millennials today. They include; status, role,habitualization, and self-fulfilling prophecy. These terms best represent theseads because they are what most millennials today are basing their choices offof. For example, status is described in our book as “the responsibilities andbenefits that a person experiences according to their rank and role in society(Tischler, 2014).
” However,millennials are still trying to change these roles and make them more equal,but they are still basic for the most part. Woman are more in touch with theiremotions than men, and men are stronger willed when compared to women. It seemsthat females feel like there is a role strain and that there is too much thatis expected of them. In magazines they are photoshopped to look flawless andskinny, but in reality, they look nothing like the picture that is supposed torepresent who they are. Celebrities are used due to their status and peoplefollowing them because they believe if they do what that celebrity does theywill be able to fulfill a self-fulfilling prophecy to better themselves. “Nationwide is on your side”, this is probably one of thecatchiest jingles around, and Nationwide Insurance knows it. How else will theybe able to target specific audiences besides a catchy jingle? Adding a famouscountry into the mix, singing the jingle. Brad Paisley starts off theadvertisement with singing about a father and son waking up before dawn tostart a hard day’s work.
The status of the man in this part of the commercialis a hard-working father teaching his son the ropes. The commercial then showsa man who wants a ‘man cave’ in his home, and is trying to convince his wife tolet him do so, he is a man who is the ‘man of the house’ and the wife seems tobe painted as a strict controlling wife. Brad Paisley says “good luck with thatDave” and we move on to the next scene. The man spent his retirement fund on anRV and runs over his bush in his yard, and his wife he standing there laughingas he does so. This scene paints a self-fulfilling prophecy which may lead tomen believing that once they retire that they will also be able to buy an RV ifthey purchase Nationwide Insurance.
In conclusion this advertisement is aimedat the ‘family man’ who takes care of his family. There are other Nationwidecommercials aimed at women as well, but the once spoken about above is aimed atmen. Chik-Fil-A is a famous fast rood restaurant, famous fortheir chicken. This advertisement was found on the Social Media page callInstagram. On this website millennials post photos and videos of their everydaylives. A lot of companies sponsor popular Instagram users so they can maketheir product seem like it can be used by everyday people.
In thisadvertisement there is a mom who seems to be taken her son to school, and sheis eating the newest Chik-Fil-A breakfast sandwich, while lifting a smallbackpack like a workout weight. This advertisement is aimed at women. Thewoman’s role in this advertisement seemed to be a single, strong, independentmother. It is implied that she is this way because of the Chik-Fil-A sandwichthat she is eating.
This is another example of a self-fulfilling prophecy, orat least that is what they want it to be. This woman is strong and confidentbecause she is eating a Chik-Fil-A breakfast sandwich, any single mother can betoo if she does what this woman is doing. In conclusion this advertisements goalis to catch the attention of women and mothers. The third advertisement is for Sims 4. This advertisementwas also found on Instagram. It was aimed at millennials.
It is a very shortadvertisement; however, it shows the self-fulfilling prophecy that Sims cangive people. Within the game Sims you choose your own destiny and you choosehow your characters interact with one another. This advertisement puts emphasison that aspect of the games. It shows a woman going outside of what a woman’srole in the relationship by asking the man to go out, or by making the firstmove. This allows women to feel like they are in control of the situation. Inconclusion, this advertisements goal was to attract woman.
The fourth advertisement is for an application called Grammarly.This advertisement was an ad presented on a YouTube channel. It is focused at aspecific social group of people with similar statuses.
Those who are not goodat grammar, but would not like to seek help other than with an application.Though aimed at people with similar statuses, it shows people with differentjobs at different levels. On scene shows a college male struggling with anEnglish class, and then another shows a female at work creating a memo.
Eventhough they are at different levels, they are both struggling with the samething. In conclusion this advertisement also uses a self-fulfilling prophecy topull people in. Use our application and you too will be successful.
The fifth advertisement, was made by a YouTube star withthe username Tabs24x7Official. Her thumbnail features a picture of her in abikini, and the title of the video says Swimsuit Try-On Haul and Review! Thisdraws the attention of males who want to see her in a bikini, and of femaleswho are looking for cute bikinis on their ideal body. The name of the companybeing reviewed in this video is CupShe.
Popular users on this website get sentitems for free for positive reviews. Therefore, even if they hate them theystill say how much they love them. Not only did this YouTuber advertise CupShe,but there was also an advertisement prior to her video starting! Self-fulfillingprophecy to look just as good as her if you buy the bikini listed. The ads wereaimed at her YouTube followers, which are mostly millennials who have been followingher for years. In conclusion this advertisement was aimed at female millennialsfor the bikini, and male millennials for the advertisement before the videostarted. The sixth advertisement is KIA commercial starring MelissaMcCarthy.
She is shown as an eco-warrior driving around in an eco-friendly car.At the time this commercial came out she was very popular. This advertisementis aimed at people who are trying to be eco-friendlier without having to stopdriving. Self-fulfilling prophecy, once again comes into play in thisadvertisement. Drive our car, and you can save the environment.
In conclusion,this KIA commercial tries to pull at the heart strings of nature and animallovers everywhere. All in an attempt to get someone to buy a car. The seventh advertisement is a Miss Dior perfumecommercial. Natalie Portman stars as a struggling lover who wants hersignificant other to prove his love. It shows numerous scenes representingthis.
It ends with “What would you do for love?” This advertisement is aimed atwomen. Like the other advertisements it seems that it wants people to thinkthat once they purchase this perfume they will fall in love, be rich, and bebeautiful like Natalie Portman. “What would you do for love?” hopefully buythis perfume.
In Conclusion, this commercial does what the other ones do, ituses the basic forms of Sociology. The eighth and ninth advertisements are similar to theseven listed below. Therefore, we are now going to discuss the tenth advertisement.It was mentioned, in the popular television show The Walking Dead. This showhas a sponsorship with Hyundai, and it is an obvious sponsorship.
The show hasroughly been on for about eight years, and yet we are seeing 2017 cars beingdriven within the post-apocalyptic world. Not just the cars, but perfectlyclean, and waxed cars. It is implied that this car is so good that it canwithstand the tolls of time, even in a zombie filled world. It is aimed at theviewers of show, and not any specific viewer. In conclusion, out of theadvertisements listed this is the only one that is not featured because it isthe main focus, it is the only mentioned one.
Discussion Upon review of ten advertisements on social media, itseems clear that all of the advertisements have similar sociological terms inthem; Status, role, habitualization, and Self- fulfilling prophecy. Inconclusion of the review, it was also found that some of the advertisementswere subtle in intention while others were not. Most were aimed at millennialswho utilize social media. This essay highlighted the main sociological termsthat are utilized when making a successful advertisement. It provides exampleson how media today and convince people that they need items that they do notneed. References (2017, August 25).Retrieved January 28, 2018, from https://www.
youtube.com/watch?v=LCX88beTv-s Grammarly(2017, December 25).Retrieved January 28, 2018, from https://www.youtube.
com/watch?v=4Jdp_dkduJc InstagramAD100 Social MediaStatistics You’ll Want to See (2017). (2017, November 27). Retrieved January 28, 2018, from https://www.bluecorona.com/blog/social-media-statistics-2017 Social Media StatisticsD. (2017, September02).
Retrieved January 28, 2018, from .https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h4s0llOpKrU PerfumeCommercialK. (2017, October 27).Retrieved January 28, 2018, from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QwCPh4HDDsc KIACommercialN.
(2016, August 04).Retrieved January 28, 2018, from https://www.youtube.
com/watch?v=USny2lbvrkI NationwideInsuranceTischler, H. L.(2014). Introduction to sociology. Andover, GB: Wadsworth Cengage Learning.
T. (2018, January 24).Retrieved January 28, 2018, from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=anwDH6iRme4 CupSheReview
